A couple of weeks ago I stepped out with Luke & Bianca to shoot their e-session. I was real sick - I’m talking sickity sick sick, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do! Luke is the driving (pardon the pun!) force behind Retro Rides, so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to shoot with his fabulous Chevy Bel-Air.
We headed on down to Cleveland Point where the car had to take a back seat (again with the puns!) while we hunted around for some pretty light. We trespassed into a long abandoned yard and found some nice spots by the old building, and down by a falling down jetty.
Then it was down to the lighthouse for some cool shots with the car, and of course the stars of the show, Luke & Bianca. I can’t wait for their wedding in November cruising around with both the cars from Retro Rides!
I think I may have laughed till I cried. Quite literally! I don’t think I have met a more crazy bunch of people in my life - but they were MY kind of people!!
We kicked off the day with Belinda & the girls at the Stamford. The fabulous Toula had already been and gone, leaving four complete stunners in her wake. We entertained the guests in the spa below by pressing up against the window (ok, it was just me doing that but it makes a good story).
So over to the boys. Once again we were at Latrobe Chapel. That’s 3 weddings in a row now. Brett & the boys were such good sports, even if they couldn’t keep still and wouldn’t stop making fun of eachother. Brett was great value, even when I tried to take his sports watch off him (but how will I be able to tell the barimetric pressure?).
The ceremony went off without a hitch, the highlight being a poem so superbly delivered by a friend of Brett & Belinda’s. We’ll all be rooned, indeed.
Afterwards we stopped by my new favourite location in Paddington. The owner of the antique store was pretty keen for me to shoot inside the store. I explained to her it wasn’t really my “thing”, but that I wouldn’t mind taking some furniture out into the back yard. To my suprise she actually obliged.
Then it was off to the city, where by this time everyone was in high spirits. If you were in the gardens that afternoon, and happened to notice a group of people wandering around singing “If I Could Turn Back Time” quite loudly, yep that was us. We also threw in a bit of Garth Brooks for good measure. Seriously, I was considering calling the photos off and heading for a karoke bar - we were that good!
After a long, and very upbeat afternoon, we finally managed to get over to Hillstone St Lucia for the reception.
I like to get up close and personal with my brides…
A few weeks ago, Poo and I went out to shoot our last wedding of Winter, the wedding of Craig & Emma.
We headed over to Emma’s folks house to catch up with the girls, and Emma’s Mum who was keeping everyone in line!
For the second wedding in a row we were back at Latrobe Chapel. Craig & the boys were in fine form, and once Emma arrived and they were pronounced husband and wife, they both couldn’t stop smiling! This was one afternoon we definately wanted to avoid the city, so we hung around Paddington for lots of photos, before heading on over to Victoria Park for the reception.
Emma is one of my sweetest brides ever, making sure we were well looked after and having a lovely time (and we remembered the KFC for Mum on the way home - thanks for reminding me!!!).
It was river fire night, and Craig & Emma had me stay on to capture the fireworks…
Since I saw snow for the first time in America this year, I don’t seem to be able to get away from it! This week I’m back down at Perisher Valley, staying at Smiggin Holes (home of the 2010 Winter Olympics bid). Unlike the last time I was here, I won’t be hitting the slopes. You see, I’m what they call an “unco”. And I don’t think that my upcoming brides and grooms will take too kindly to me coming home with a broken leg.
I’m down here with my sister, and a colleague of hers. They’re hitting the slopes every day, and I’m relaxing by the fire with my laptop knocking out a few album designs that have been mounting up on me. Other than that I’ve found time to get a massage, and spend some time in the spa. Life’s tough.
Shortly after we arrived late Sunday afternoon, it actually snowed. Very briefly, and only a little bit, but I was so very excited!
A few weeks ago, Poo and I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of Chris & Renae. Renae is such a sweetheart, and she and I clicked from the moment we met - both sharing the same warped sense of humour. We’d shared quite a few laughs in the lead up to her day, and it was great to see it finally come off!
We spent the morning with Renae at her sister’s house, watching that bloody Michael Phelps win a few more races. Renae was so calm, and oh so giggly and excited! She couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle and marry the man who caught her eye in that London pub so many years ago.
Chris was waiting over at Latrobe Chapel with his twin brother. Renae had mentioned before the wedding that she hoped she didn’t mistake the wrong brother for Chris, but I don’t think there was any chance of that happening. After the ceremony, where Chris’s Dad gave a very touching prayer, they were married and you couldn’t knock the smiles off their faces.
We hung around downtown Paddington taking in the sights, and then shot down to the Powerhouse for a very quick visit, and some more night time photos. Then it was time to limp the London Taxi (those things don’t go very fast, do they!) over to the Indooroopilly Golf Club, where they were back in time for the reception.
When you first meet Chris you could be forgiven for thinking he is a quiet, shy, reserved kind of guy……and then you meet the REAL Chris!!!…
In his defence, Renae simply INSISTED that he put her in a headlock!!…
I’ll admit I’m getting a little bored with the whole “Trash The Dress” movement. You know what it’s like when something is cool because only a few people are doing it, and then everyone starts doing it and it isn’t cool anymore. It kinda loses it’s shine. It seems Trash The Dress is everywhere at the moment. I’ve seen some awesome off-the-chart shoots, and I’ve seen some pretty cheap imitations. I guess it can be hard to come up with something different and unique in an industry where every shot has been done to death a million times before. But I digress.
For about the last six months, my friend Courtney and I have been talking about getting together to do another shoot of her in her wedding gown. She loves her gown, but didn’t really fancy “trashing” something that she had spent a months wages on. She did want something a little different, without venturing near water, mud, or scissors. And I had just the thing.
A few weeks back we finally put our plan into action. It was a little city meets country, and it was a whole lot of fun. We had the most gorgeous afternoon light ever, as we spent a couple of hours hanging out, and doing what we do. Courtney is always amazing to work with - by now she knows what I want and is so easy to direct.
So I call this Courtney’s ”Just Because” session. Why? ”Just because I want to - Just because I can - Just Because!!”
More on the slideshow…
I have to send a big thankyou to my wonderful girlfriend, Melissa Donaldson, for her amazing job on Courtney’s makeup. Melissa is a hugely talented make-up artist, who has just launched her new website www.melissadonaldson.com.au Check it out!
Also, I should point out that I have exclusive access to the location where we did Courtney’s shoot. If anyone is interested, you know where to find me.
